Zagreb coach falls on sword

Croatian champions NK Zagreb have a new coach after Ivan Katalinic was replaced by his assistant, Nikola Jutrcevic, four games into the new season.

No money-spinnerKatalinic resigned after Saturday's 3-0 league defeat by HNK Rijeka. More costly still had been their 2-1 loss to Hungarian club Zalaegerszegi TE in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League which denied them a money-spinning tie against Manchester United FC.

'Obstacles'"There is no point staying," Katalinic said. "I probably would have been sacked soon anyway. From the first day there were obstacles in front of me from the press and from the club."

Immediate acceptanceThe new man at the helm, Jutrcevic, admitted the offer to replace Katalinic had been too good to turn down: "I did not even think it over, I accepted it right away." The 35-year-old former Croatian international has named ex-Zagreb goalkeeper Vatroslav Mihacic as his assistant.

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